Get up close to a moon crater
Thanks to NASA's trusty Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), we now have some amazing shots of the inside of the lunar crater Aristarchus. It's one of the brightest spots on the moon's surface and while it can be seen by the naked eye on a good night, the LRO was able to get just 16 miles above it and give us some new views.
An amazing 26 miles wide and twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, the crater was created when an asteroid hit the moon 450 million years ago.
When the asteroid hit, it produced dark clumps and streamers of pyroclastic ash like those you would see in a volcanic eruption on Earth. Ledges seen on the wall are made of pre-impact lunar crust.
You can find a full zoomable panorama shot here. The panorama shows a section of the crater is two miles high and approximately 15 miles; the LRO's cameras are able to take you down to view features of this section at a resolution of about 15 inches so have a closer look!
Via Wired
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2. Northwest of the crater is the Aristarchus plateau, one of the most geologically diverse areas on the moon. Features known as transient lunar phenomenon have appeared on this plain; they are swirls and curves that appear brighter than other areas. Scientists donât know the cause thought it is thought they are related to magnetic fields.
3. NASAâs Hubble space telescope imaged the crater using ultraviolet and visible wavelengths to produce this colorful photo. It could reveal the presence of ilmenite â a titanium mineral rich in oxygen with a potential to create fuel.
The crater walls show a variety of textures and lunar features.
At sunrise, the walls of Aristarchus glow brightly. Arrows in this image indicate the approximate edges panorama provided in the link.
When illuminated by sunlight, you can see wide, bright areas that show where ash and rock landed after the asteroidâs impact. The craterâs floor, may hold clues to the formation of granite on the moon.
